COMMERCE AND FINANCE. London. March 12. London Wool Sales.— At the wool sales to-day brisk business was done. The mar ket for merino3 was unchanged. Cross breds showed a decline in prices of 5 ner cent. Ureadstuffs— Tlie quantity of wheat afloat for the United Kingdom is 3,780,000 quarters, compared with 3,745,000 quarters a. week ago, and 3,135.000 quarters a year ago. The quantity afloat for Continental ports is 1,060,000 quarters, as against 1,000,000 quarters a week ugo and 1,200,000 quarters a year ago. Mining Shares.— On the London Stock Exchange yesterday Chillagoes were sold at £1 10/, Mount Lyells at £i 12/6, and Mount Lyell Norths at £2 13/9. London March 13. Silver.— The price of bar 6tlver to-day is 2s. 4 3-16d. per oz., an advance of Id. since the 8th inst. Tallow.— At the auctions 1,100 casks were offered and 253 sold. Mutton, fine realized 28/9, medium, 26/6: beef, fine, IU, medium, London Wool Sales.— Charles Balme and Co., Buxton, Ronald, &amp; Co., and Jacomb, ...

THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINGENTS. London, March 13. The British Legation at Pekin yes terday entertained the officers and men of the New South Wales contingent in that city. Sir Ernest Mason Satow, the British Ambassador, in thanking the troops for their admirable services* remarked that not a single complaint had been made against any one of them^and tlie Victorians had earned a similarly high reputation at Tientsin. '

FRANCE. RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS BILL. STATEMENT BY M. PELLETAN. London, March 12. M. Camille Pelletau, the French po litician and historian, speaking in the Chamber of Deputies on the new Bill for the prohibition or1 better regulation of religious associations in France, made a statement to the effect that a certain member of the headquarters staff of the French Army had con fided to a Jesuit Father the whole of the mobilization pjaus in connection with the defence of France. In an eloquent peroration M. Pelletan de clared that the Bill represented a fight for freedom from disloyal clerical dic tation and secret conspiracies against the welfare of the republic. The French Government (wrote our Lon don correspondent on February 8) has met with a severe check in its policy for the regulation and restriction of religions and other associations, no. amendment de manding freedom of association without previous declaration of authorization bavins been carried by a majority of 55 in one of ...

THE COMMONWEALTH. THE ROYAL VISIT. SYDNEY NOT TO BE OUTDONE. SYDNEY, March 13. ? A meeting convened by the Mayor of Sydney was held to-day to consider the part the citizens should take in connection with the festivities durins the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. ? Dr. Graham said he hoped . the citizens of the mother State would do their duty. A .strong exe cutive committee was appointed to take the whole question into consideration. Mr. Vernon, Government Architect, stated that the Government would undertake the decoration of the streets which had no houses at all, or none on one side. In Pitt, George, and most of the other streets of the route of the procession the Government hoped the citizens would do the decorating. The Government would not be beaten in its efforts for completeness by Melbourne. ]t was proposed to carry a continuous line of light around Macquarie, Bridge, Pitt, and King streets.

HOW THE PEOPLE LIVE. Tlie Sydney 'Daily Telegraph' writes:— The great underlying principle of protec tion is to check consumption, and thereby to impoverish the people. Have we any evidence. to that effect? Take Mr. CoRh lan's statistics in answer: — CONSUMPTION PER HEAD PER ANNUM. Victoria. N.S. Wales. Hi. 11.. Wheat ? 340.C 35C.3 Rice ? — ? 7.2 10.(1 Sugar ? 02.3 10X0 Tea and coffee ? S.0 S.:i Butter and cheese ? 15.0 22.4 Salt ? 40.0 42.0 iloit ? 217.1 233.3 Potatoe? ? : .. .. 25S.7 104.8 In only one of these leading articles of con sumption is Victoria not considerably be hind New South Wales. Potatoes are a very cheap food in Victoria, and her people have to fall back upon them. The Mel bourne 'Argus' adds that this explanation about potatwes^is not altogether correct. Potatoes arc grown in Victoria largely in excess of human consumption, and are there fore used for feeding pigs and similar pur poses.

THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD. To the Editor. Sir — The Government having appointed a Civil Service Board to. report upon the departments of tho States their report should embrace the Question of retirine al lowances to Government servants. Parlia ment seemed to have a desire when in ses sion to have this much vexed question pro perly enquired into and. settled once for all. From the reports of the speeches of several members upon the retiring allow ances it would appear that either the Act of 1874 or ihe amending Act of 1881 is very indefinite— so much so that able lawyers differ regarding the actual construction of both. Mr. Homburg and Mr. Wood have declared that compensation should be paid to cml servants to the 'Mmc of the passing of the Act of 1881, and the speeches made on the introduction of the measure confirm this. It would therefore .be only just for the GivU Service Board to impartially en quire into and if possible permanently settle this important matter, which con-, cerns t...

GERMANY. PPvOHIBlTION OF ARTIFICIAL SACCHARINE. London. March VI. It is announced that Germany will shortly impose an absolutely prohibi tive tax upon drugs or other articles used in the artificial sweetening of food. The practice of utilizing in this way such products, which are mostly manufactured from coal tar, is gene rally condemned by the medical fa culty.

NEW SOUTH WALES. SYDNEY. March 13. Ihe Grand Lodge of Freemasons to-night appointed a committee to report on a sug gestion to found a scholarship at the Syd ney University for daughters of Freemasons in commemoration of the reign of Queen Victoria and the accession of- King Edward. The dispersal sale of Tocal stud cattle was concluded to-day at West Maitland, when 134 head, comprising the whole of the Devons, were submitted to auction. There was spirited demand, and 1,700 guineas was realized, which, with 9,860 guineas at yes terday's sale of Herefords, makes a total of 10,560. The principal price to-day was 90 guinea!) for the stud bull Chieftain. BROKEN HILL, March 13.. Two lads seeking work at the proprietary Mine this -morning made a gruesome dis covery at tlie leaching dump. They noticed a TVircel partially buried, which on investi gation nroved to consist of shrivelled' up skin and bones, apnarently the remains of a small infant. The skull was smarted into burcc or four pieces...

VICTORIA. MELBOURNE. March 13. The Wholesale Milk Producers' Associa tion held a meeting to-day, and decided -to raise the price Id. pergaifion from Monday next. The causes for this action are stated to he increased cost of : production through dry weather and bush fires and the in creased price of hand feed. Mrs. Catherine Murphy, a resident of Collingwood, fell from a traracar on to her lien.-] while rounding a curve at Port Mel bourne, and died in the Melbourne Hos pital late last night. James MeGuinness,,an applicant for an old-age pension, was lined £20 at the liallarat Orty Court to-day for attempted imposition in applying for a pension. He ftated that he had no property nor in come, but evidence was given showing that he had £163 in the bank. Thcmas Irwin Kenny, barrister and solicitor, was committed for trial by the 1'itzroy Police Court to-day on a charge of having forged and uttered a cheque for two guineas. \ At a meeting of the Melbourne Harbour Trust to-day a report of ...

LITERARY SOCIETIES. St. Peters Parliament. — On Wednesday evening the second ses-sion was opened. Tliere was a (rood attendance. — Mr. .1. Darling, jun., M.P., acted in the capacity of Governor and read the speech. The items of the policy embraced— The re duction of representatives of both Houses bv one-half; development of the mining industry; .1 circular subnrhan railway; restriction with1 regard to adulteration of certain foods; prevention of overcrowding State schools. State control of liquor traffic on the Gothenburg system; the protection of mortgagors; compulsory closing of trade estab lishments, hotel bars, and other trading institu tions at 1 p.m. on Saturday; reorganization of aged poor institutions; the establishment of a county council; the' constitution of Northern Ter ritarv as a separate State.— The Ministry is com prised as follows:— Premier and Attorney-General, Mr. ('. S. Burgess: Chief Secretary, Mr. .!. K. Sil ver; Treasurer, Mr. H. .S. Boyse; Ommifsioner of Crow...

THE BURIAL OF QUEEN yiCTOBIA. A SPLENDID NAVAL PAGEANT, MAGNIFICENT FUNERAL PROFES SIONS. MOXARCHS, PRINCES, AND ENVOYS OF J-X)REIGN4 STATES. IMPOSING SERVICES AT ST. GEORGE'S, ..WINDSOR. ENTOMBMENT AT FROG MORE. [From our Special Correspondent.] LONDON. February 8. At last the nation has shaken off in some measure the feeling of stupor — the oppres sive burden of sadness— and sorrow under which it laboured while the Oueen 'was struggling with the last enemy, and while her body lay at Osborne awaiting burial. The sensation which accompanies the oc currence of some terrible calamity is still present, but time has rendered the pres sure of it less unbearable. The trappings and suits of woe are still everywhere in evidence— mourning garments are still the universal wear of man, woman, and child whenever they appear in public. bnt_ by slow decrees interest in the common affairs of life Is being reawakened. People still walk sedately as if treading over a grave, and talk .softly as if in...

PERSONAL NOTES FROM ENGLAND. [From our Special Correspondent.! The 'ltegister ' Olfioe, 80, Fleet street, London. February 8. The latest report concerning the Duka ami Duchess of Cornwall and York to Aus tralia is that it will take place as pre viously arranzed. and that the Onhir is to start on her voyage about March 30. The ceremonies at the opening of the Common wealth Parliament are, however, to be shorn of their festive character. The Duke, who it is stated is shortly to be made Prince of Wales, has almost completely re covered from his attack of German measles. Speaking of the proposals which have been under discussion in Australia for the organi zation of a bodyguard of a thousand horse women and a thousand lady cyclists to attend upon the Duchess of Cornwall and York at the Antd]-odes, an English journalist re marks sardonically, 'Both ideas arc novel and picturesque, but whether Her Grace would care to be so completely surrounded by .her own sex is not quite so cc'iin. Tlie...

(MARRIAGE OF QUEEN WILHELMINA. SUE IS RADIANT; 1IE IS SH\T. .SPLENDOUR AND SUNSHINE. ITronrour Special Correspondent.! LONDON, February 8. The marriage of Wilhelmina, Queen of Jlolland, to Duke Henry cf ilecklenberg was a great event to Dutchmen, and the London papers give long accounts of the festivities. They began orncully on Monday night, though the wedding did not take place until yesterday (.Thursday). The Hague was brilliantly illuminated, and loyal subjects of the young monarch poured in from all quarters — from the Dutch vil lages and even from the dependencies . in the Eist Indie.?. A host of illustrious per sonages had already assembled to do honour to the occasion as early as the first day of the week, and all the available hotel accom modation was occupied. The air of the city had changed from that of uuiet aristocracy to holiday festivity. From the reports it seems that the young Queen's fiance is lie coming more acceptable to her subjects, the coolness, if not positiv...

To tlfe Editor. Sir — -What enormous misery, what dis-' ease, what vice would have been prevented if the cities of the world had from the start' been laid out with regard to health', virtue. and wholesome delight. Australia lias now before her an iumieuise opportunity to create a model city. It as probable tnat eomjietition will be called for by thi author rities in the production ot a plan. It.whould be at t-nce announced that no plan will be entertained which contains any narrow lanes or blind alleys. No street shouJd be tolerated less than 00 feet in width, Ade laide is one of the best laid out cities in the' world, but Avhen we lock at the number o£ lanes with which it is cursed .'low far the fair city is from the ideal! Moreover, a number of squares, like those in Adelaide, would be an excellent feature, as they pro vide lungs and places of convenient .report for many, whereas parks can only be'' few. ? Adelaide, with its park lands all round the city, suggests that tlhe federa...